Lessons from 6 months travelling alone

I travelled through New Zealand for 6 months. You should go too.

July 15, 2016

Traveling alone will kill your comfort zone.

You are in an unknown country, alone. There is no place for something like a comfort zone, you’re on your own. Organizing and figuring things out is all your job and you will find yourself in strange and uncomfortable situations on a daily basis.

These are the moments were you grow as a person.

Meeting and talking to new people everyday will change your perspective a lot, and there is no way around that. Even the most introvert person will at some stage—in order to tackle loneliness—be okay with talking to strangers.

Talk first, it helps, start the conversation—don’t wait for it. You will meet some amazing people that way.

There are Hello’s and Goodbye’s everyday, some people will like you, others won’t. After some weeks you don’t care anymore—being yourself is key. There is no need to shut down and hide your weaknesses—good friends will like you just for that—and if you won’t open yourself, there is no chance to find these people.

You will forget most, remember many and stay in touch with a few.

You will miss the people more than the place. Sharing experiences in a foreign country will bond you together and it will feel like you've been friends forever. Don’t let those people disappear from your life—you won’t meet many of that sort, stick to them somehow.

Don’t plan too much ahead. It’s mostly a waste of time.

Plans are needed, but overthinking never helps. Taking things step by step will simplify your life a lot. Instead of thinking what could go wrong you could also just start doing it and deal with the problems as they arise, the unexpected problems—the ones you will never think off—are the real problems anyway.

Be ready to challenge your fears.

Being alone in a strange country sounds scary, and that’s exactly why you should do it. Fear is a good indicator, if fear is holding you back from things you want to do then something is seriously wrong. Get comfortable that you've to conquer your fears on a daily basis. If you do so, your life will change, you will start to take risks on purpose. Back home you will feel that difference in every decision you make.

Everything that makes you break out of your daily life will ultimately make your life feel longer.

Traveling alone will force you to finally get along with yourself.

You can’t escape your problems in the far—they will even get more distinct. But you will see them from a different perspective and that’s mostly what you needed.

It will never be the same at home.

You will get used to your normal life again. But be warned—you won’t sit still for too long.